Gore and Mataura residents have been ordered to evacuate immediately as flood levels continue to rise. Residents of Wyndham and Riversdale were also asked to prepare to evacuate.
Emergency Management Southland issued the evacuation warning at 6am on Wednesday, telling those affected to travel to higher ground if possible.
Both Calvin Community Hub on Robertson Strete and the Croydon Lodge were acting as evacuation points for Gore residents, while Mataura locals would be bused to the Edendale community hubs at Edendale Presbyterian Church and the Christian Activity Centre. Buses were departing the Mataura Presbyterian Church carpark.
The second possible flood peak for the area was expected at 12:30pm Wednesday.
STATE OF EMERGENCY
A state of emergency remains in Southland following heavy rain. It was declared by Southland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group chair Neville Cook on Tuesday afternoon following Monday's declaration for Milford Sound, where 195 tourists remained trapped.
Late on Tuesday, Emergency Management Southland said modelling data suggested levels in the Mataura catchment could hit levels seen the 1999 floods.
The Gore District Council was advising motorists not to travel unless it was absolutely necessary.
ROADS, SCHOOLS CLOSED
Several state highways in the area are closed: SH1 Gore to Clinton, SH1 Mataura to Gore, SH90 McNab to Tapanui, from SH1 intersection to Station Rd, SH90 between SH1 and Station Rd. SH97 Mossburn to SH6 intersection SH97 is CLOSED. State Highway 94 is closed from Park Boundary and SH96 from Lumsden to Frankton.
Flooding in the district and in West Otago had forced 17 schools and two early childhood centres to close. The closures affected 1877 school students and 70 children in early learning.
Southland Federated Farmers vice president Bernadette Hunt said she had not heard of any catastrophic damage in the region, but farmer's fences and culverts could be damaged.
"We'll all cope, as long as a floodbank doesn't burst or something like that."
Beef + Lamb New Zealand urged farmers in the region to move their stock to higher ground.
Company Southern South Island extension manager Olivia Ross said "where it is safe to do so, farmers are encouraged to check their stock and move them to high ground and move baleage to ensure it is not carted down swollen rivers."
HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE WORRIES
Precautionary measures were being taken to protect a hazardous substance being stored in a building in Mataura, which gives off ammonia gas if it gets wet.
About 10,000 tonnes of ouvea premix, a class six hazardous substance, was being stored in the former paper mill in the township, which is right next to the Mataura River.
The council has set up a welfare centre at the Calvin Church, in Robertson St, for anyone stranded in Gore or forced from their homes by flood waters.
Police and staff also had to evacuate about 15 homes and businesses in Ontario St.
Mataura resident Dave Mackenzie said he was nervous about the presence of the ouvea premix and what could happen if the river continued to rise.
"Once it's mixed with water it causes a gas eruption. This is the highest I've seen the river in the 12 years I've lived here.
"I guarantee people are worried [about the river and premix]."
However, Mataura Community Board chairperson Alan Taylor was comfortable that the situation was under control.
"We have heard the company that is responsible for that is looking after that. The [Gore] District Council has been in touch with them to make sure they are doing their job and making things secure there."
Gore District Council chief executive Steve Parry said he had asked Inalco, the company that was moving the premix from the building, to take precautions to protect it, in case flood waters continued to rise.
The company had stopped its operations removing the substance from the building on Tuesday morning.
He had also been liaising with Emergency Management Southland about the issue.
"I'm as concerned as anyone else about the infiltration of the river into that building, as that would be catastrophic."
'WORST IT'S BEEN'
Gore resident David Byron said: "I've lived here for 20 years and this is definitely the worst it's been, this is the fastest I've ever seen it [river] rise.
"I can see that it's going to reach the bank at some point today. It's the most water I've ever had in my backyard."
"I think it's going to get as bad as the [19]78 flood. I went for a drive at half past nine this morning and it was nothing and the rain hasn't stopped since.
"The way things are going we're looking at a 100 year event."
Australian tourists Sally and Daryl Rowley, who were heading to Queenstown, were left stranded in Gore because of roads being closed.
"We did the coastal trip up to Te Anau and then tried to get to Queenstown, but they kept detouring us. The last holiday we had was at Eagle Point in Australia, and we got kicked out of there because of bush fires. Looking at the weather I don't think we'll be able to get to Queenstown tomorrow."
Calvin Community Church Minister Ken Williams said from about 5pm we had people arrive and from then every 10 minutes there seemed to be a new lot of people arrive.
"We've got some beds here ... we've had about 16 beds and Emergency Southland are bringing in more beds. We were activated by the council about 3pm and told to prepare for the possibility of [people needing somewhere to go]."
An Emergency Management Southland spokesperson said Environment Southland hydrologists were currently assessing river levels in the province.
Welfare Centres will be opened at that time at the Cross Recreation Centre in Glasgow St, Balclutha and at the Owaka Community Centre. A community hub has also been set up at the Lumsden Community Hall for support and advice for anybody caught up in the flooding.
